The Three Steps
by Linda4HIM59
Summary: Written for the March 2011 forum picture challenge. An alternate version of how Michaela and Sully meet.  Just a shorty.


**THE THREE STEPS**

**By Linda Ellen**

**Written for the March 2011 Forum Picture Challenge (I tied with Maritza!)**

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (but those people aren't using them anyway!)

**Pics were one of Michaela at the waterfall, gazing as if she's sad, the other of Brian from "What is Love" with his notebook open, pencil in hand. So this is my alternate take on the situation:**

* * *

><p>Michaela sat deep in thought as the play continued. This scene required nothing from her but her presence, so while the other actors were saying their lines around the waterfall 'set', she let her mind drift.<p>

She was lonely... there was no two ways about it. Thinking back to the tearful train station goodbye eleven months ago between her mother, her sister Rebecca, and herself, she almost smiled wryly at Rebecca's comment.

"_Well Michaela, perhaps it won't be so bad, traveling with the Back Bay Acting Troupe for awhile. You'll be able to see places out West that you've never seen before...while you figure out what you want to do..."_

_Michaela sighed as her sister hugged her, striving to paste on a smile for her and their mother, who was standing behind Rebecca wearing a classic, dour, 'Elizabeth Quinn' expression._

"_Yes, you're right..."_

"_Michaela, this is ridiculous!" her mother interrupted, unable to hold back any longer. "Running off like this to the middle of nowhere, just because a man asked you to marry him!"_

"_Mother..." Michaela had lamented, sighing again. Oh how she wished she could get her mother to understand...she didn't love William...and he had indicated very clearly that he would not take 'no' for an answer. His reasoning was that since they were both resident physicians at Boston Memorial, worked together quite affably every day, saw each other socially, and had many things in common, it made perfect sense for them to join in matrimony and become, as he had put it, true partners in love and in work._

_She couldn't go back and work with him at the hospital now. Seeing that puppy dog expression on his face every time he looked at her...begging for her hand each and every time they found themselves the slightest bit alone. So when she had seen the advertisement for background actors willing to travel with the acting troupe for a year to all of the outlying states and territories, she had jumped at the chance. They even allowed her to handle all of the troupe's medical needs while on tour. At least she was keeping her hand in her chosen profession, until she could figure out her next move. She'd be darned if she would give up practicing medicine totally!_

_Also, if she were true to her own heart, she had somehow felt that she would find her reason for existing—other than medicine, meet the man of her dreams 'out there' somewhere, the man who would sweep her off her feet and cause her to fall madly in love. Did she want too much? Was that man even out there? Perhaps her mother was right...a 'good match' is more important than love..._

Suddenly, she was startled out of her reverie by the loud applause of the audience in this small town of...what was it again? Oh yes, Colorado Springs, just one of dozens they had played in over the last eleven months. They were already pulling the 'curtain' between the audience and the set to get ready for the next act. Sighing resignedly, Michaela extended a hand to one of the stagehands for him to help her out of the water as she reached for the robe she had hidden behind a rock.

Just then, another stagehand came walking toward her, blood dripping from a small cut on his arm. "Dr. Mike...?" he began. Michaela smiled encouragingly and gestured for him to follow her to her wagon. "Oh well," she thought, "another day, another dollar."

OOOOOOOOO

Brian Cooper sat pensively, pencil in hand and reporter's notebook propped open on his leg, watching the beautiful actress positioned at the back of the play's set. She was the loveliest woman he had ever seen...but she seemed so sad. He couldn't take his eyes from her as she sat staring straight ahead, dressed in some sort of white underwear, one hand idly rubbing her arm, as the cascading water roiled nearby.

Miss Dorothy had sent him over after school to write a story about the traveling acting troupe, but he had forgotten all about the assignment. He just kept wondering why the lady with the long beautiful brown hair seemed to have her mind on anything but the performance.

Making his mind up as the curtain was drawn, Brian scrambled from his seat and dashed to the edge of the outdoor play's designated area, peeking behind the curtain to see various men scurrying here and there as they changed the set for the next act. Finally spotting her, Brian ran haphazardly toward her as she made her way to a tall wagon with the name of the troupe emblazoned on its side, one of the stagehands following and holding onto his arm.

"Ma'am! Excuse me, ma'am!" Brian called to her and she turned, smiling at him as she answered, "Yes? Can I help you, young man?"

"I...um...I..." Brian stammered, staring up into her face – and eyes that were two different colors. They rendered him momentarily speechless. She smiled again, used to unusual reactions to her most distinguishing feature. "Young man?" she prompted gently.

"Oh..I...can I interview you? For the Gazette, I mean. I'm a reporter," he added quickly, shoving the writer's notebook toward her to prove his claim.

"So I see..." Michaela answered softly, glancing up at the face of the injured stagehand. "I suppose that would be alright. This won't take long," Then pointing toward Grace's café, she added, "Why don't you wait over there?"

In response to his surprised look, she clarified, "There is only one scene left and I'm not in it."

"Okay...thanks!" Brian exclaimed, watching as she climbed the steps up into her wagon, the man climbing up behind her. Brian momentarily wondered why...was he her husband?

Half an hour later, Michaela made her way into the café, wearing an attractive blue dress, her hair in a long braid, a crocheted shawl loosely wrapped around her shoulders.

"Hello there," she addressed Brian, smiling her stunning white smile again as she made her way to his table. He jumped up, mindful of his manners, and pulled out a chair for her.

"Now...you are a reporter for your town's Gazette?" she prompted gently to break the ice, noticing that he seemed to be tongue-tied once again.

"Um...oh yeah. Miss Dorothy, she's the editor, she told me to do a story on the play, and maybe interview one of the actors...so I chose you," he added rather shyly, biting his lip and glancing away as he realized he was staring.

"Well, I'm honored. What would you like to know?" Michaela asked demurely, sitting back in her chair and folding her hands as she waited for him to continue.

"Um, well, I guess, can you tell me some about yourself?" he asked, suddenly realizing he knew nothing about interviewing someone for a story.

"Alright...well, my name is Michaela Quinn...actually..._Dr._ Michaela Quinn..."

"You're a doctor?" Brian interrupted with amazement as he opened his note pad to begin jotting down her answers.

Michaela chuckled softly, the little blond boy's exuberance having already endeared him to her heart. "Yes, I am."

"You went to college...and everything?"

"Yes..._and everything_," she answered with a half grin. "I'm traveling with this troupe as a background actor as well as their traveling physician."

"Where'ya from?" the little boy asked, fascinated with everything about the woman.

"Boston."

"Um...was that your husband I saw with ya?" he asked, scrambling for questions to ask her.

"No...I'm...unmarried."

Brian gazed at her again, very surprised that a beautiful woman like her wasn't married. Just then, he noticed her attention had strayed a bit as she had uttered the last sentence and before he thought about it, he asked bluntly, "You're sad, aren't ya?"

Her eyes came back to his, intending to deny, but somehow seeing within the boy wisdom beyond his years. Smiling wistfully, she murmured, "Yes...I guess I am."

"Why?" he asked, not thinking he was marching into areas none of his business.

The lovely lady doctor/actress smiled again, her head tilted to the side a bit as she answered, "I guess...I'm lonely. Tired of waiting for 'Mr. Right' to come along..." Then, realizing she had voiced her thoughts aloud, she reddened a little and cleared her throat. "You, um, don't have to report that last statement..."

"Oh...no ma'am...I wouldn't write nothin' that would embarrass ya or anything..." he stammered, his mind going a hundred miles an hour as he tried to think of a way to make his new friend smile.

Michaela watched him, wondering what was running through his mind. "How old are you?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Nine."

"And your name?"

"Oh my gosh! I was supposed to tell you that right off!" he gulped, belatedly remembering Miss Dorothy's instructions. "It's Brian. Brian Cooper."

"Well, Reporter Brian Cooper. It's very nice to meet you," Michaela replied, offering her hand to shake. He laughed and shook her hand and they spent the next thirty minutes with Brian asking questions and Michaela patiently answering.

By the end of that, Brian had concocted a plan.

OOOOOOOOO

"But Sully...please? Do me a favor?" the young boy asked his buckskin-wearing, long haired mountain man friend as he chopped wood at his lean-to campsite.

"Aww Brian, you know I don't like stuff like that. I don't care much for plays, or bein' in a crowd. You know I only go into town when I havta."

"But Sully...there's somebody I want you to meet, okay?"

Sully's brows drew together as he searched his young friend's eyes. "Who?"

"Just...just somebody. I promise, you'll like it," he added, not daring to say 'her', because the last time he had tried to introduce his widower mountain man friend to a lady, she had turned out to be one of Hank's new girls and that sure didn't go over so well.

Sully stopped chopping and wiped the sweat from the back of his neck, glancing down at his little friend. Seeing the hopeful, pleading look in Brian's blue eyes, the anxious biting of his lip, he knew he couldn't disappoint him. Remembering he needed to pick up something at the mercantile anyway, he took a deep breath and sighed resignedly.

"Okay, Brian. I'll be there."

Brian grinned and nearly hopped up and down in excitement. "Great! I'll see you on the bridge at seven o'clock. Oh, and Sully?"

"What?"

"Um...wear your suit...okay?"

"_Brian_..." Sully fussed.

"Please?"

Sully sighed again. He didn't know how this little boy seemed to have wormed his way into his heart after his father had taken off and left their ma alone with three kids...but he sure had. "Okay."

OOOOOOOOOO

True to his word, Sully showed up at seven, bathed, shaved, and sporting his one and only suit. He pulled aggravatingly on the tie at his neck, glancing around for the boy and wishing he had told him no. Suddenly, he saw the youngster running with his funny, short-legged gait, totally out of breath when he reached him.

"Great, you're right on time!" the boy exclaimed, huffing with exertion. "Come on...just over here..."

"Brian...I don't know about this..."

"Just five minutes. Okay? If you still want to leave in five minutes...you can."

Sully nodded and allowed the boy to grab his hand and practically drag him to the front row of chairs placed for the audience. The boy and man sat down together, Brian so excited he could hardly contain himself. Sully merely looked around uncomfortably, mentally planning how to take his leave after the five minutes were up.

"They're startin'," Brian murmured, sitting up straight on his chair as the Master of Ceremonies came out from behind the curtain and informed the audience of the plot and name of their play. Then the curtain was drawn, and Sully's mouth dropped open as he viewed the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, standing mere feet from him and saying lines as the play started. He couldn't take his eyes from her. All thoughts of leaving in five minutes fled.

For the next two hours, Sully sat there entranced each time the curtain opened. He couldn't have told you what the play was about or any of the dialogue – as his eyes were only for her. When the scene with the waterfall came, he gulped down his emotions, staring at her in the skimpy outfit. _He had to meet this woman._

Brian just sat there grinning. All during the evening, he hadn't told his friend anything about the lovely lady doctor. He just knew somehow they were meant to meet.

Finally the play was finished and Brian, unable to wait another moment, grabbed Sully's hand and dragged him back behind the curtain and toward her wagon, knowing she would be inside changing from the waterfall scene.

Brian knocked and Michaela answered with, 'I'll be right out.' Then minutes later, she opened the door and looked down, expecting to see her new little friend, but instead – found herself looking down into the most breathtaking pair of blue eyes she had ever seen in her life. They were just staring up at her in awe, set in a handsome, tanned face and bordered by a lion's mane of honey brown, wavy hair.

The man cleared his throat. "Um...I'm Sully...Brian's friend..." he stammered, holding up a hand for her to take so he could help her down the three steps of her wagon. His heart, nay his whole body, seemed to be humming like a strummed guitar. Somehow in the pit of his gut he knew the fates, or God, or the 'spirits' had intended for him to meet this woman.

"I'm Michaela..." she answered and reached for his hand. When their fingers touched, sparks ignited and firecrackers exploded within each of their bodies.

Somehow, Michaela knew she had found her stopping place, her reason...her man. She knew she had traveled her last mile with the troupe...and she didn't hesitate as she descended the three steps into her future.

_**The End for us...the beginning for them! **_


End file.
